20:1 Then Zophar the Naamathite answered: 

 

Zophar (the legalist) gave his second and final discourse to Job. After this discourse, he will not speak again. This chapter commentary will bring out the thought pattern of Zophar.

 

20:2 “This is why my troubled thoughts bring me back— because of my feelings within me. 

 

After hearing Job’s rebuttal, Zophar could not remain silent.

 

20:3 When I hear a reproof that dishonors me, then my understanding prompts me to answer. 

 

Zophar felt as though Job had insulted him.

 

20:4 “Surely you know that it has been from old, ever since humankind was placed on the earth, 5 that the elation of the wicked is brief, the joy of the godless lasts but a moment. 

 

Surely Job knows from the beginning of human history that any joy experienced by a sinner is brief and only for a moment.

 

20:6 Even though his stature reaches to the heavens and his head touches the clouds, 20:7 he will perish forever, like his own excrement; those who used to see him will say, ‘Where is he?’ 

 

Job may be arrogant, but he will be brought low and die. He may rise as high as the heavens, but he will be brought low like dung.

 

20:8 Like a dream he flies away, never again to be found, and like a vision of the night he is put to flight.

 

People will not know Job’s location, for he will have vanished like a bad dream.

 

20:9 People who had seen him will not see him again, and the place where he was will recognize him no longer. 

 

When Job dies, no one will ever see him again. They will no longer even recognize his residence.

 

20:10 His sons must recompense the poor; his own hands must return his wealth. 

 

Since Job oppressed the poor, his children will have to pay back his material obligations.

 

20:11 His bones were full of his youthful vigor, but that vigor will lie down with him in the dust.

 

Job’s wicked energy will be buried with him.

 

20:12 “If evil is sweet in his mouth and he hides it under his tongue, 20:13 if he retains it for himself and does not let it go, and holds it fast in his mouth, 20:14 his food is turned sour in his stomach; it becomes the venom of serpents within him. 

 

Job may enjoy the taste of evil like a sweet delicacy in his mouth, but it will turn sour in his stomach.

 

20:15 The wealth that he consumed he vomits up, God will make him throw it out of his stomach. 

 

Job’s wealth will become like the venom of a poisonous snake. It will bring bitter consequences to him. He will have to vomit all of this evil out of his stomach.

 

20:16 He sucks the poison of serpents; the fangs of a viper kill him. 

 

All of the wealth which Job gained by godless means will not be retained. This ill-gotten wealth will kill Job like the deadly poison of serpents (or like the venom of an adder’s fangs).

 

20:17 He will not look on the streams, the rivers, which are the torrents of honey and butter. 

 

Streams, rivers, and torrents of honey were symbols of prosperity.

 

20:18 He gives back the ill-gotten gain without assimilating it; he will not enjoy the wealth from his commerce.

 

Job’s wickedness will not allow him to enjoy his prosperity.

 

19 For he has oppressed the poor and abandoned them; he has seized a house which he did not build. 

 

Zophar accused Job of oppressing and abandoning the poor in order to enrich himself. He accused Job of taking away their property in order to make himself more prosperous.

 

20:20 For he knows no satisfaction in his appetite; he does not let anything he desires escape. 

 

Job craves all of the wealth that he can get. He will do anything to get it, including ungodly deeds.

 

20:21 “Nothing is left for him to devour; that is why his prosperity does not last. 

 

Since Job is so greedy, his prosperity will not last.

 

20:22 In the fullness of his sufficiency, distress overtakes him. the full force of misery will come upon him. 

 

When Job thinks that he is the most prosperous, then misery will come upon him.

 

20:23 “While he is filling his belly, God sends his burning anger against him, and rains down his blows upon him.

 

While Job is filling his belly with the wealth he accumulated by godless means, then God will send His burning anger upon Job. God will pummel His fists upon Job.

 

20:24 If he flees from an iron weapon, then an arrow from a bronze bow pierces him. 

 

If Job tried to escape from God’s iron arrow, then God will bring him down with a bronze arrow.

 

20:25 When he pulls it out and it comes out of his back, the gleaming point out of his liver, terrors come over him.

 

If Job pulls out an arrow, then his liver will fall out. New terrors will come over him.

 

20:26 Total darkness waits to receive his treasures; a fire which has not been kindled will consume him and devour what is left in his tent.

 

Job has accumulated much wealth by godless means, but the total darkness of death will receive his treasures. Fire will consume Job’s body.

 

20:27 The heavens reveal his iniquity; the earth rises up against him.

 

Heaven reveals the wickedness of Job. The earth rises up against Job to punish him for his sins.

 

20:28 A flood will carry off his house, rushing waters on the day of God’s wrath.

 

Since Job stole houses from others, then his house will be swept away by a flood of God’s wrath.

 

20:29 Such is the lot God allots the wicked, and the heritage of his appointment from God.”

 

Zophar’s conclusion is that Job is wicked and he is being punished by God. He did not bring any new information to Job. He did not have enough Bible doctrine to understand the spiritual warfare which was the center of this angelic conflict. Like many stubborn and unenlightened philosophers of today (atheists, evolutionists, Marxists, agnostics, feminists, liberals, etc.), Zophar was so totally depraved and evil that he could not decipher reality. He made no allowance whatsoever for the person being afflicted for any other reason than retribution for sin. In his stubborn blindness, he flared at Job with venomous words, like the poisonous snake he spoke about.